1918-29 Flashcards
Post war working reforms
November 1918
Workers granted eight hour day
All restrictions on trade unions abolished
System of industrial tribunals to provide arbitration
What and when was the Youth Welfare act
1922
Established a youth service to promote physical fitness and social engagements
When was unemployment relief granted
1924
What groups remained powerful in both Kaiserreich and Weimar
Traditional military release
Why did the military elite remain powerful
As Weimar governments moved right, army influenced increased
How did the military budget change between 1924 and 1928
Increased by 75%
National debt in 1919
144 billion marks
National debt in December 1922
469 billion makes
How did manufacturing output change between 1914 and 1919
30% lower in 1919
Causes of hyperinflation
Loss of income from Ruhr passive resistance
Printing more money to compensate
Germany not financially prepared for WW1
War economy too focussed on military weapons
Weimar government adopted a policy of defect funding to maintain good work and cover the welfare state
Affects of hyperinflation
People went to bartering
Major food shortages as farmers refused to accept payment
Life savings became worthless
Some people turned to crime out of desperation
Rentenmark Introduced
Who was blamed for hyperinflation
Fat-cat factory owners
Jewish financiers
Treaty of Versailles
Weimar democracy
Who gained from hyperinflation
People in debt could quickly pay what they owe
Exporters gained from the weak currency
Entrepreneurs could gain from cheap credit
Who lost out due to hyperinflation
Savers saw their savings become worthless overnight
Middle class people forced to sell possessions
Nationalistic politicians blamed immigrants and Jews for the hyperinflation
When did hyperinflation occur and why
1923 after Germany missed a reparations payment in late 1922
What caused the Ruhr occupation
In November 1922, Germany defaulted on a repetitions payment as it claimed it could no longer pay
France and Belgium believed Germany was choosing not to pay, so sent their troops into the Ruhr to take key industrial goods in replace of cash
What was passive resistance
The German government ordered its people to refuse to work with foreign governments, and in return would continue to pay their wages
What were the affects of passive resistance
Germany lost industrial output, weakening the already damaged economy
To pay striking workers Germany was forced to inflate its currency
Led to an increase in inflation
What was the price of bread by November 1923
200,000 million marks
What was the Stinnes-Leiden agreement
Led by Leigen and Stinnes
Created central working association
Established workers committees, trade Union rights and binding arbitration on disputes
How did the number of strikes change between 1924 and 1928
Went from 1973 to 739
Change in German economy between 1913 and 1929
Grew by 6%
How did iron coal and steel production compare to 1913
Never reached the levels of 1913
How did the cost of living change between 1914 and 1928
Increased by about 50%
Unemployment in Germany between 1924 and 1928
1924- 4.9%
1926- 10%
1928- 6.2%
How did agriculture do through the 1920s
Agriculture struggled due to cheap foreign imports and low prices due to global competition
Prices fell rapidly through the 20s
What was Germanys balance of trade in the 1920s
Mostly in deficit
German government budget in 1920s
Mainly a budget deficit
When was the first Weimar election and what was the outcome
January 1919
85% turnout and 76% of votes in support of parliamentary democracy showed faith in the system
Ebert elected president of Germany
SPD-DDP-Centre coalition
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed
June 1919
Affect of Treaty of Versailles on Germany
Germany lost land in East, West and North
France took back Alsace- Lloriaine
Rhineland became demilitarised zone
No alliance between Germany and Austria
Repetitions of $6,500 million
Military affects of Treaty of Versailles
Army reduced to 100,000
No military aircraft, tanks or submarines
Nationalistic response to Treaty of Versailles
Angry at signing the treaty, felt Germany could have won the war
Fuelled stab in the back myth
When did passive resistance end
September 1923
What was the Ruhr uprising and how did it end
A left wing workers revolt in the Ruhr region
Initially took place in support of general strike
Germany army sent in with Freikorps to crush Red Ruhr Army
Done with incredible brutality
What was the Dawes plan
An agreement between Germany and Allied forces on reparations payments
Confirmed sum at 132,000 million marks
Payments would rise from 1000 million to 2500 million marks over 5 years then based on economic performance
Loans given to support German economy
Reaction to Dawes plan
Germany able to pay reparations as scheduled
Helped stimulate growth
Aided economic recovery
Opposed by right groups as it accepted reparations payments as valid
When was the Dawes Plan
1924
What was the Locarno treaties
Series of treaties with Britain France Belgium and Italy
Accepted Germanys western borders
All contries renounced use of force
When was the Locarno treaties
1925
When was the treaty of Berlin
April 1926
What was the treaty of Berlin
Streseman signed a treaty with USSR
Used treaty to put pressure on the west to improve relations with Germany due to fears of USSR
Helped develop relationships between USSR and Germany
When did Germany join the League of Nations
September 1926
When was the Youngs plan
1929
Details of the youngs plan
Reduced current payments and total burden of repetitions
Scheduled payments over a longer schedule
Allied supervision ended
Total sum dropped by over 70%
Allowed Germany to participate in reparations negotiations
When was the Kapp putsch
March 1920
Who was involved in the Kapp putsch
The army, Freikorps members and right-wing nationalists
What triggered the Kapp putsch
The disbandment of two large Freikorps legions
Why was the Kapp putsch defeated
The SPD asked the German people to halt the counter revolution by carrying out a general strike, which brought Berlin to a halt
How did the Kapp putsch almost trigger a communist revolution
The mobilisation of the KPD, radical unions and other left wing groups led to several communist issurections
When was the spartacist uprising
January 1919
Who were the leaders of both sides of the spartacist revolution
The social democrat side- led by Ebert and the SPD
The communist side- led by Liebknecht and Luxemberg
When was the Weimar constitution implemented
August 1919
Key changes under the Weimar constitution
Legislature elected using PR
Universal suffrage over 20 established
President could be removed by Reichstag vote
Created true democracy
Strengths of Weimar constitution
True democracy created- universal suffrage and proportional representation
Bill of rights created new freedom and rights for German people
Weaknesses of Weimar constitution
Article 48 allowed President to seize power
PR resulted in minority parties gaining voices and weak, short-lived coalitions
How did Ebert and Hindenburg use article 48
Ebert used it over 60 times between 1923 and 1924
Hindenburg forced to use it to pass almsot every law by end of tenure
What was the key clause of the treaty of Versailles
Article 231- the war guilt clause
What caused the Munich putsch
The hyperinflation crisis weakened the Weimar government
The Nazi party was bigger than ever in 1923
In September 1923 Weimar government called out a general strike
Hitler had a large army of SA soliders waiting to fight
Events of the Munich putsch
Hitler arranged with two nationalist politicians, Kahr and Lossow, to take over Munich
On October 4, Kahr and lossow called off the rebellion, but Hitler already had 3000 soldiers ready
On 8th November 1923, Hitler and the SA stormed a local beer hall where Kahr and Lossow were meeting
On the 9th November, Hitler stormed Munich but Kahr had called police and army reinforcements
Consequences of the Munich putsch
Police killed 16 SA members
Nazi party banned
Hitler banned from public speaking until 1927
Hitler tried for high treason and imprisoned for 5 years
Long term success of Munich putsch
16 dead SA turned into martyrs
Time in comfortable prison allowed Hitler time to write Mein Kampf- his ideas became well known
Released early- leinency of judicial system showed Hitler had sympathy in authority figures
Hitler realised he would be unable to come to power by revolutionary means
How did Nazi membership change between 1925 and 1929
27,000 to 130,000
When was the Bamberg conference
February 1926
Key results of the Bamberg conference
Hitler insisted communist policies were not to be followed
Established the leaders principle- the idea that the party leader was in complete control. No dissent allowed
Why did the Nazis only have limited support between 1924-28
Stresemans economic policies had helped stabilise Germany- preventing extreme parties gaining power
Political stability meant that playing on fears was less effective
Hitler was jailed and banned from speaking due to Munich putsch- which also brought attention and bans to Nazi party
When was Streseman chancellor
August to November 1923
Key successes and policies of Streseman
Sent striking workers in the Ruhr back to work
Prevented money printing
Brought in the Rentenmark
Negotiated the Dawes and Youngs plans
What were the years 1924-29 known as
The golden age of Weimar
Why did the golden age of Weimar occur
American investment left Germany flush with cash
Ending of french occupation of the Ruhr
Social welfare expanded
Increase in workers pay
When was the Unemployment Insurance Law
1927
What did the Unemployment Insurance Law do
Required workers and employers to contribute to a national fund for unemployment welfare
What was article 155 of the Weimar constitution
Declared the state must strive to secure housing for German families
How many homes build between 1924 and 1931
Over 2 million
How did real wages change from 1924
Increase every year from 1924
Increased by 9% in 1927, by 12% in 1928
Who didn’t benefit from the golden age of Weimar and why
The middle classes- mittlestand
Stripped of their savings by hyperinflation
Wages overtaken by working classes
No political party to represent them
How did GDP change between 1913 and 1929
12% increase
How did exports change between 1924 and 1929
Doubled
